FR2673860A1 - MOTORIZED BALL TABLE WITH CROSS MOVEMENTS FOR THE ORTHOGONAL SORTING OF FLAT LOADS. - Google Patents

Abstract

The ball table with crossed movements comprises a horizontal top (6) comprising balls (7) which are free in rotation and project from the two faces of this top (6). The balls (7) are set in rotation in a first and a second direction, in one sense or in the other, by means of an endless belt (4) whose upper side is in contact with the balls (7) and by means of endless chains (8) fastened onto the lateral sides (9) of the top (6) so as to displace the latter relative to the endless belt (4).

Description

MOTORIZED BALL TABLE WITH CROSS MOVEMENTS FOR SORTING

ORTHOGONAL OF FLAT LOADS

  The present invention relates to a motorized ball table with crossed movements for the orthogonal sorting of

flat charges.

  In the industry, it is often necessary to move loads orthogonally from one point to another, for example between a

  production machine and a palletizing device.

  This transfer is normally carried out on conveyor belts, motorized rollers, etc. The loads are, in principle, of parallelepipedic structure, such as packs of cardboard plates, and these packets follow one behind the other. This process is traditional, but it does not solve the problem of regrouping the packets when one wants, at the end of the course, to establish an assembly of loads landed parallel and longitudinally to form a layer of

several packages.

  The object of the invention is to propose a machine allowing in particular the lateral displacement to the left or to the right of a load arriving upstream, and this continuously and with an adjustable value of the lateral displacement, that is to say in combining the longitudinal and lateral movements, and more generally, the motion movement of the loads in any direction relative to the direction of conveyance of the loads on the machine, in order to transfer them to a recovery device with the

desired positioning.

  For this purpose, the subject of the invention is a motorized ball table for the orthogonal sorting of flat charges, characterized in that it consists of: a horizontal platter of free-rotation ball-type disposed in said plate in projecting from both sides of it; means disposed under the tray and supporting said balls; first means for applying to the balls, at the points of contact with said support means, a first rotational movement in a first horizontal direction, in one direction or the other; second means for applying to the balls, at said contact points, a second rotational movement

  in a second horizontal direction, perpendicular

  at one or the other direction, means for controlling and controlling the application and intensity of said first and second rotational movements so as to apply to the balls at said contact points a movement of said first direction in one direction or the other; rotation of variable amplitude and in any one, at choice, azimuths of the plane reference defined by said first and second directions, means for bringing the loads to be treated and place them on the balls of the tray, and means to collect the output loads from

plateau, after treatment.

  According to a first mode of implementation of the table according to the invention, said ball support means are constituted by an endless belt, supported by appropriate support means, said first means for applying to the balls said first rotary movement in said first direction is constituted, on the one hand, by said endless belt whose upper run is in contact with the balls and, on the other hand, by means of driving in one direction or the other of said belt, and said second means for applying to the balls said second rotational movement in said second direction are means adapted to create, between the plate and the belt, a relative movement in a direction orthogonal to the direction of movement of said belt. The means for creating such a relative movement between the plate and the belt consist for example in means for moving the plate in translation on the belt, which circulates on rollers of fixed axis, means being provided

to guide the board.

  Advantageously, a device for cleaning the carpet, by brush, scraper or other device, is provided for

  to evacuate dust and cardboard waste.

  According to a second embodiment of the device of the invention, said ball support means are constituted by rollers arranged horizontally, side by side and on which the balls of the plate rest, said first means 15 for applying to the balls said first rotational movement in said first direction are constituted by synchronous rotation drive means of said rollers in one direction or the other and said second means for applying to the balls said second rotational movement in said second direction are constituted by means to move the plate in translation parallel to said rollers, in one direction or

  in the other, the axes of the rollers being fixed.

  According to alternative embodiments of this second mode of implementation, the rollers for supporting and driving the balls are distributed in groups with independent control from each other, each group comprising a predetermined number

  rolls covering the entire width of the tray.

  Each support roller and motor may also consist of several independently placed and independently controlled sections of rollers, several parallel and adjacent sections being able to be controlled in synchronism so as to constitute on the plate sectors juxtaposed inside each of which the The balls are rotated in a given direction in order to impart to a load on the table any translational, rotational or combination movement of these two displacements, preparatory to correct placement of the load in an assembly.

  determined of identical charges or not.

  Other features and advantages of the device of the invention will emerge from the following description of

  Embodiments, description given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a top view of a table according to

  the invention, according to a first embodiment; Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the table of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a left view of the table of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a top view of a second embodiment of a table according to the invention; Figure 5 is a front elevational view of the table of Figure 4; Figure 6 is a left view of the table of Figure 5; Figure 7 is an elevational view of an alternative embodiment of the table of Figures 4 to 6; Figure 8 is a front elevational view of the table of Figure 7; Figure 9 is a left view of the table of Figure 8; Figure 10 shows a support roller and motor of the table of Figures 7 to 9; Figure 11 is a schematic top view of a stacked multilayer stacking installation package incorporating a table according to the invention, according to an embodiment according to Figures 1 to 3; Figure 12 is a front elevational view of the installation of Figure 11;

  Figure 13 is a sectional view along the line XIII-

  XIII of the ball table of Figures 11 and 12; Figure 14 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the ball table of Figures 11 to 13, and Figure 15 is a sectional view along the line XV-XV

  of the installation of Figures 11 and 12.

  The sorting ball table according to the invention shown in Figures 1 to 3 comprises a frame 1 supporting drive rollers 2, via a motor 3,40 of a horizontal endless belt 4 coated with an elastomer and moving in the direction ab (Figure 1) and resting, by the lower face of the upper strand, on a horizontal plane support 5 carried by the frame 1 On the upper face of the upper strand of the belt 4 rests a horizontal plate 6 rigid, pierced with holes in which are arranged, in the known manner, balls 7 of hard material, free in rotation and projecting on the two opposite faces of the plate 6, the balls 7 being distributed regularly equidistant from each other following perpendicular alignments corresponding respectively to the length

  (direction a-b) and the width (direction c-d) of the plate 6.

  The plate 6 is movable in the direction cd, orthogonal to the direction of movement of the belt 4, by means of chains 8 fixed on the longitudinal sides 9 of the plate 6, moving on the belt 4, by means of idler gears. 10 and driven, via a fastener 11, mounted on the rod of a

cylinder 12 secured to the frame 1.

  The width of the plate 6 (direction cd) is less than the width of the belt 4 and the plate is supported and guided along its lateral edges by means of rollers 13 flowing in slides 14 secured to the frame 1. The slides 14 allow to maintain the tray 6 at a distance from the carpet 4 sufficient for the balls 7

  beyond the plateau, above and below, the balls resting under the effect of their weight on the carpet 4.

  The materials constituting the plate 6, the balls 7 and the carpet are chosen so as to withstand the wear due to

  In a variant, the plate 6 can be provided with interchangeable guide bushes 7.

  The belt 4 can move in one direction as in the other, at an adjustable speed.

  Similarly, the tray 6 can be moved in one direction or

  in the other, at an adjustable speed.

  It should be noted that any displacement X (FIG. 3) of the plate 6 causes a displacement 2 X of a load 15 placed on the

  plateau 6 due to the multiplication provided by the rotation of the balls 7.

  By charges 15 is meant a flat object, a stack of flat objects connected or not linked together, such as for example cardboard blanks, or flat-faced objects. The operation of the device described above is as follows. When the belt 4 is in operation, any load 15 arriving in the longitudinal direction ab (or ba) will pass straight through the ball table if the ball plate 6 is stationary. The load 10 need not be in position. the axis of the table Any rectilinear movement in the direction ab is possible in the zone where this load 15 is supported by the balls 7 A load 15 brought on the surface of the ball table by the displacement of the belt 4 can be moved laterally on one side or the other by moving the ball plate 6 to one side or the other in the cd direction. This lateral movement can be effected with the mat 4 stopped or moving. 4 and the tray 6 the load 15 moves obliquely, but remaining parallel to the edges 9 of the tray 6 In effect, in this case, each ball 7 is subjected by the belt 4 to a rotary movement causing the load 15 in the direc ab and a rotary movement causing the load in the direction cd so that each ball is subjected to a movement which is the result of the two rotary movements applied to the point of contact of each ball 7 by the belt 4 This resulting rotary movement is , for each

  ball 7, identical in its direction and in its amplitude, so that the load 15 is subjected to a translation above the table in the direction of one or other of the edges 9 of the plate 6.

  Depending on the amplitude of the rotary movement exerted on the balls 7, the load 15 may be directed in any one of the azimuths of the reference system defined by the two perpendicular horizontal directions ab, cd.35. If the belt 4 operates alone, the charge 15 moves, as indicated above, in one or the other direction, in the

  direction ab (double arrow 16, fig 1), whereas if the cylinder 12 acts alone, the belt 4 being stopped, the load 15 moves in one or the other direction, in the direction c-d40 (double arrow 17).

  The combination of the movements of the belt 4 and the plate 6 allows any orientation of the displacement of the load 15 on the

  Of course the table is advantageously provided with means for programming the speeds of movement of the belt 45 and the plate 6 defining the desired positioning parameters of the load 15.

  The table is also provided with fixed stop plates (not shown) arranged parallel to the edges of the plate 6 and arranged to allow, below, the free passage 10 of the plate The lateral position of these plates is determined according to the device receipt of the loads at the end of the table. Figures 4 to 6 illustrate another embodiment in which the plate 6 is similar to that of Figures 1 to 3, but the balls 7 rest on motorized rollers 18 arranged in parallel, side by side The rollers 18 are rotated by a motor 18 'in one direction or the other and at an adjustable speed, in synchronism and apply to the balls 7, at the points of contact, a rotary movement of the same direction as that applied by the belt 4 of the table of FIGS. 1 to 3 , that is to say according to the double arrow 16

(fig 4).

  The displacement of the plate 6 is simplified since it can take place by vertical plates 19 (FIG. 5, 6) passing between two rollers 18. These plates 19 support the plate 6 at a good height, guide it and drive it through a cylinder integral with the frame 1 and connected to said plates 19 by means of

  appropriate connection elements, the assembly being guided by a roller system 21 flowing in fixed slides 22.

  The operating principle of this embodiment is identical to that of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3.

  During the displacement in translation in the direction c-d of the plate 6, each row of balls 7 opposite one of the rollers 18 moves while rolling along said roller. The rollers 18 are coated, for example, with a It should be noted that this embodiment has, among others, the advantage of allowing, with respect to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3, a better evacuation of dust and cardboard waste. This will result in a better operation of the device, because of the fact that the transmission member of the rotary motion to the balls will not foul or at least not as quickly as in the

  embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 3.

  In the variant illustrated in FIGS. 7 to 10, the support and motor rollers 18 are subdivided into four sectors S1 to 54. Each support and driving roll of the balls 7 consists in fact of two small rollers 18a and 18b ( fig 10) mounted and driven independently

on the same fixed shaft 23.

  Each roller 18a, 18b is driven, by means of a system with pinions and chains 24, or tangential belts, from a motor carried by the frame 1 To each sector If at 54 is associated an engine (Mi to M 4) synchronously driving all the rollers of the sector considered. The rollers 18 to 18b are abutted so that their generatrices are substantially continuous so as not to create jolts in the passage of the balls 7 of the roller 18a to the roller

18b or vice versa.

  An automatism is provided to manage or program the operation of the engines Ml to M 4 in order to obtain the desired displacements of the load on the plate 6. If the four motors Mi to M 4 rotate at the same speed and in the same direction all the balls 7 of the plate will be driven (double arrows 16, fig 7) as in the case of the belt 4 or rollers 18, assuming that the plate 6 is stationary. If the motors MN to M 4 are stopped and the plate is

  moved in the direction c-d, the load 15 is moved in translation along said direction c-d.

  On the other hand, if a selection is made in the direction of operation of the motors MN to M 4, for example MN and M 4, on the one hand, M 2 and M 3 on the other hand, in the same direction, one can, 35 after having introduced two charges 15 parallel on either side of the axis ab, dissociate them longitudinally in

  stopping the engines Mi and M 4, or M 2 and M 3, or vice versa. It is advantageous to use variable speed motors, with or without prior programming.

  The principle of separating sectors of driving rollers allows innumerable combinations and straightening of trajectories are possible Possibly rotations (double arrow 25) of the load 15 are possible, without having to move the plate 6. In principle, when the plateau 6 is moved in the cd axis, all sectors 51 to 54 operate in the same direction

  In this way, the dissociation of the operation of the sectors intervenes only with an immobile plate 6 centered on the system of reference axes a-b, c-d.

  The movement of the charges can be monitored for example by photoelectric sensors (not shown).

  or other devices, so as to be able to act on specific automatisms (not shown) managing, in association with the lateral displacement of the plate 6, the distribution of the charges.

  Although a table with four sectors 51 to 54 has been described, the number of these sectors may be less than or greater than this number. Thus, in sectors S1, 52 may be substituted for a single sector, likewise for sectors 53, 54, all the rollers of the table being single rollers 18 such as those of Figs 4 to 6. For large format machines, it is even possible to provide each roll 18 in a number of sections greater than two, end to end Thus, a third independent central section could be driven from below, for example by a tangential belt. FIGS. 11 to 15 illustrate a table according to the invention and more precisely of the type of FIGS. 1 to 3, integrated in a

  multi-layer assembly installation of docked packages.

  This installation includes a ball sorting table

  26 according to the invention, fed in packets to be processed by a roller feeding table 27.

  The sorting table 26 delivers the packets to a table of

  jogging 28 which is associated laterally with a system 29 of stacking layers of packets.

  The members of the table 26 structurally or functionally homologous to those of the table of FIGS.

  the same numerical references.

  The packages are brought one after the other on the plate 6 which is, at rest, centered, that is to say with its longitudinal axis in the extension of that of the feed table 27. 5 L' For example, the platform 6 is in said central position, a package, symbolized at 30 in FIG. 11, is brought to the center of the sorting table 26, by the actuation of the belt 4. , the plateau 6 remaining stationary The correct positioning

  of the packet 30 is determined by photocell sensors.

  electric carried by two lateral jogging plates 31 and 32, disposed above the plate 6, laterally thereto. Such plates 31, 32 (not shown in the tables of FIGS. 1 to 9) are fixedly mounted, although they may be adjusted optionally in position, and so as to allow lateral displacement of the plate 6. The plates 31, 32 serve as stops. pack retaining inside the useful zone delimited by the tables 27 and 28. Once the pack 30 stopped in the center of the plate 6, the latter is moved laterally by a jack 12, towards one or the other The cylinder 12 is arranged horizontally under the plate 6, in its central zone, between the upper and lower strands of the belt 4. Its rod is connected by a fastener 12 'to one of the edges of the plate 6. of the displacement of the plate, the balls 7 push the packet 30, at a speed twice that of the plate, towards the

  concerned plate Once leaning against the plate (31 or 32), the carpet 4 is reactivated to transfer the package on the table 28.

  The next pack 30 will be leaned against the other plate (32 or 31) by the plate 6, to be transferred to the table 28

  the two packets 30 present will be stamped by plates 33 to form a layer of two packets 30a and 30b bonded together.

  The device 29 with forks 34 makes it possible to lift a

  layer 35 (FIG. 12) of packets for constituting a stack.

  To reduce the time, the shoulder of each pack 30 on the table 26 will be done by combining the displacement on the plate 6 of the pack along the longitudinal axis with the lateral displacement of the plate 6, as soon as the pack 30 is sufficiently engaged on the tray 6, so as to move the crabbed in the direction of the plate 31 or

  the plate 32. After complete evacuation of the tray 6 of the package 30, the tray 6 returns to the central position.

  FIG. 11 shows the maximum lateral offset of the plate 6, plate side 32. The carpet 4 covers (FIG. 13) only the useful length corresponding to the distance between the plates 31, 32. the plate 6 and the balls 7 are supported by trays 10 fixed overflow, in the extension of the upper strand of the belt 4 and its support 5 cylinder side 12 (Figures 11 and 14), such a plate 36 is indented at 36 'in its central zone, to allow the passage of the fastener 12', the other plate, 37, not being indented.15 Moreover, the carpet 4 is advantageously provided (FIG.

  12) of a cleaning device 38 such as a brush or scraper or any other system.

  The installation allows multilayer stackings with various mutual positions of the packets of each layer,

with central well or not.

  If the installation upstream of the sorting table 26 does not allow the presentation of the packets according to different

  positions, we can use a sorting table of the type of Fig 7 to make the necessary adjustments.

  the stackings formed on the table 28 will then be

  evacuated on the palletizing system 39.

  Finally, the invention is obviously not limited to the embodiments shown and described above but covers all the variants, in particular with regard to the means for applying to the balls 7, the contact points with their support. , the following rotary movements

  two perpendicular directions, as well as the means of support, guiding and driving the movable plate 6.

Claims (7)

R E V E N D I C A T IO N S   1 cross-motion motorized ball table for orthogonal sorting of flat charges (15, 30), characterized in that it consists of: a horizontal plate (6) of the ball-like type (7) free in rotation, arranged in said tray and projecting from both sides thereof; means (4,5; 18) disposed under the plate (6) and supporting said balls (7); first means (4,18) for applying to the balls at the points of contact with said support means a first rotational movement in a first horizontal direction (a-b) in one direction or the other; second means (12, 20) for applying to the balls, at said contact points, a second movement of   rotation in a second horizontal direction (c.   d), perpendicular to said first direction, in one direction or the other; means for controlling and controlling the application and amplitude of said first and second rotational movements so as to apply to the balls (7), at said contact points, a rotational movement resulting in variable amplitude and in one any one of the azimuths of the planar reference defined by said first and second directions; means (27) for bringing the loads to be processed and placing them on the balls of the plate (6) and means (28) for collecting the output loads plateau (6), after treatment.   2 Table according to claim 1, characterized in that said ball support means (7) are constituted by an endless belt (4), supported by appropriate support means (5), said first means for applying to said balls first rotational movement in said first direction (ab) are constituted, on the one hand, by said endless belt (4) whose upper strand is in contact with the balls and, on the other hand, by means (2, 3) 13 in one direction or the other of said carpet, and   said second means for applying to the balls said second rotational movement in said second direction (cd) are means (8, 11, 12) adapted to create between the plate (6) and the carpet (4) a relative movement following a direction orthogonal to the direction of movement of said carpet.   3 Table according to claim 2, characterized in that the means for creating such a relative movement between the plate (6) and the belt (4) consist of means (8,10 11, 12) for moving the plate in translation on the carpet, which circulates on rollers (2) of fixed axis, means   (13, 14) being provided to guide the tray.   4 Table according to claim 3, characterized in that the means for moving the plate (6) are constituted by endless chains (8) fixed on the lateral sides (9) of the plate and passing on the carpet (4), said chains (8)   being driven by a jack (12).   Table according to claim 1, characterized in that said ball support means (7) consist of rollers (18) arranged horizontally, side by side and on which the balls of the plate (6) rest, said first means for applying said first rotational movement in said first direction (ab) is constituted by means (18 ') for synchronously rotating said rollers (18) in one direction or the other and said second means for applying to   said second rotational movement in said second direction (cd) are constituted by means (19, 20) for moving the plate (6) in translation parallel to said rollers (18), in one direction or the other, the axes rollers (18) being fixed.   6 Table according to claim 5, characterized in that the means for moving the plate (6) are constituted by plates (19) fixed under the plate, passing between the rollers (18) for supporting and driving the balls (7). ) and driven by cylinder (20), said plates (19) being supported and guided by a roller device (21) and brackets (22). 7 Table according to claim 5, characterized in that the rollers (18) for supporting and driving the balls (7) are distributed in independently controlled groups on each other, each group comprising a determined number of rollers (18). ) covering the entire width of the tray (6).  8 Table according to claim 5, characterized in that each roller (18) support and motor consists of several sections of rollers (18 a, 18 b) placed end to end and independently controlled by motors (Ml to M 4), several parallel and adjacent sections that can be controlled in synchronism so as to constitute on the plate (6) juxtaposed sectors (51 to 54) within each of which the balls (7) are rotated   in a determined direction. 9 Table according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it comprises jogging plates   (31, 32) mounted fixed but adjustable above the plate (6) transversely to the direction of displacement (c-d) of said plate. Table according to claim 9, characterized in that said jogging plates (31, 32) are arranged substantially vertically above the edges or ends of the means (4, 18) for driving the balls (7), these being extended laterally to the table, trays (36, 37) for supporting the   plate (6) and balls (7) in the lateral position of said plate. Table according to claims 3 and 10 taken together, characterized in that the means for moving the   plate (6) in translation on the belt (4) are constituted by a fixed horizontal cylinder (12) disposed between the upper and lower strands of the belt (4) and connected to one of the edges 30 of the plate, one of said plates (36) for supporting the plate (6) and the balls (7) in lateral offset position of the plate being indented (36 ') for the passage of the element (12') of   connecting said cylinder (12) to the plate (6).   12 Table according to one of claims 2 to 4 and 11,   characterized in that the belt (4) is provided with a device   cleaning device (38), such as a brush or scraper.